Electrical system



April 6, 1954 E. M. CREAMEQYJR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 26, 1951 Arrow/vir April 6, 1954 E. M. CREAMER, JR 2,674,651

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed June 26, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 Arme/vijf Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Edgar M. Creamer, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a. corporation of Pennsylvania Application J une 26, 1951, Serial No. 233.624

(Cl. 17E- 5.4)

12 Claims. l

The present invention relates to electrical systems and more particularly to cathode-ray tube systems comprising a beam intercepting member and an indexing member which is arranged in cooperative relationship With the beam intercepting member and is adapted to produce a signal whose time of occurrence is indicative of the position of the cathode-ray beam relative to the beam intercepting member.

The invention is particularly adapted for use and will be described in connection with a color television image presentation system utilizing a single cathode-ray tube having a beam-intercepting, image-forming screen member comprising vertical stripes of luminescent materials. These stripes are preferably arranged in laterally-displaced color triplets, each triplet cornprising three vertical phosphor stripes which respond to electron impingement to produce light oi the dirierent primary colors. The order of arrangement of the stripes may be such that the normally horizontally-scanning cathode-ray beam produces red, green and blue light successively as it impinges successive stripes. From a color television receiver there may then be supplied three separate video signals, each indicative of a different primary color component of a televised scene, Which signals are sampled se quentially and utilized to control the intensity of the cathode-ray beam. For proper color rendition, it is then required that, as the phosphor stripes producing each of the primary colors oi light are impinged by the cathode-ray beam, the intensity of the beam be simultaneously controlled in response to the contemporaneous value of the video signal representing the corresponding color component of the televised image. However, since the rate at which the beam scans across the phosphor stripes of the screen may vary, due, for example, to non-linearity of the beam deiiecting signal, or due to a non-uniform distribution of the color triplets on the screen surface, the times at which the samples of the several video color signals should be taken will generally not occur exactly periodically. To obtain proper timing oi the sampling operations, it is therefore desirable to derive signals indicative oi' the instantaneous position of the cathode-ray beam upon the image-forming screen, and to utilize these indexing signals to control the times at which samplings of the several color signals are effected. The said indexing signals may be derived from a plurality of stripe members arranged on the beam intercepting screen structure each adjacent a triplet so that, when fil) the beam scans the screen, the indexing stripes are excited in spaced time sequence relative to the scanning of the color triplets and a series ci pulses is generated in a suitable output electrode System of the cathode-ray tube.

The indexing stripes may comprise a material having secondary-emissive properties which diifer from the secondary-emissive properties oi the remaining portions of the beam intercepting structure. For example, the indexing stripes may consist of a high atomic number material such as gold, platinum or tungsten or may consist of certain oxides such as magnesium oxide, and the remainder of the beam intercepting structure may be provided with a coating of a material having a detectably different secondary-emissive ratio, such as aluminum, which coating also serves as a light reilecting mirror for the phosphor stripes in accordance with Well known practice. With such an arrangement the indexing signals may be derived from a collector electrode arranged in the vicinity of the screen structure. Alternatively, the indexing stripes may consist of a fluorescent material such as zinc oxide having a spectral output in the nonvisible light region and the indexing signals may be derived from a suitable photo-electric cell arranged, for example, in a side wall portion ci the cathode-ray tube out of the path of the cathode-ray beam and facing the beam intercepting surface of the screen structure.

In practice there exists the danger that the normally detectable voltage indicating the impingement of the beam on the indexing stripes may be masked or at least contaminated by spurious voltages. More particularly, it is found that, at the high accelerating voltages of the order of 10 to 20 kilovolts used in the cathoderay tubes of the systems under consideration, only a relatively small difference in the secondary-emissive ratio of the materials of the index ing stripes and of the remainder of the screen structure can be realized and that, in the heretofore proposed systems, the presence of video signals and noise voltages in the collector electrode system may signicantly diminish the eiu `fective value of the indexing signal. Similarly,

or from the phosphor stripes of the color triplets, the latter light in some instances penetrating the aluminum mirror coating superimposed on the color stripes.

In the copending application of E. M, Creamer, Jr., et al., Serial No. 240,324 filed August 4, 1951, there have been described systems by means of which the desired indexing information may be obtained in a readily usable form with a minimum of components at the video signal frequencies appearing in the indexing signal circuits. More particularly, and in accordance with the principles set forth in said copending application, use is made of the iinding that the scanning of the indexing stripes by the electron beam will produce, in the collector circuit of the cathode-ray tube, signal components which represent modulation products as determined by the intensity variations of the beam and the rate; of scanning of the index stripes'. Accordingly, by additionally varying the Intensity of the beam at a pilot carrier frequency rate widely diierent from the rate at which the beam intensity is varied by the Video signal, an output signal is produced in the collector electrode of the cathode-ray tube comprising, as one component, modulation products proportional tothe pilot carrier frequency and the rate of scanning the index-l stripes. Because of their widely diierent frequency range, thesev modulation products may readily be separated fromthe generated modulation products which are' proportional to the video signal frequencies and the rate or scanning of the index stripes. The pilot carrier modulation products consist essentially ef a carrier Wave' at the pilot carrier frequency 'andsidebands representing the sum and difference of the pilot carrier frequency and' the rate of scanning the index stripes. Any change in the rate of scanning of the index stripes will be indicated by a change in the frequencies of the sidebands, and accordingly the separated signal or one of its sidebands will servev asV an indexing signal of high quality.

In some instances, secondary factors within the cathode'eray tube system above described may operate to contaminate the indexing signal so produced so that the signal is no longer precisely definitive oi the absolute position of the cathodeeray beam. More particularly, it has been found that, due to ncianuiacturingv tolerances of the beam generating elements oi the cathode-ray tube, the beam-current versus control-voltage characteristic of the cathoderay tube may exhibit serious departures from linearity so that undesirable cross-modulation may take place between the video signal and the pilot carrier signal applied to the intensity control element thereof. The cross-modulation so produced introduces new components which similarly vary the intensity of the beam and appear as spurious signals in the output indexing circuit of the cathode-ray tube. Since the heterodyne products of the cross-modulation may have frequencies within the frequency band of the indexing signal, their presence may undesirably affect the system operation and bring about inaccurate or at least degraded reproduction of the colors of the image.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved cathode-ray tube system of the type in which the position of the electron beam relative to a bea-m intercepting member is indicated by a signal produced by an indexing member 4 arranged in cooperative relationship to the beam intercepting member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cathode-ray tube system of the type in which the position of the electron beam is indicated by a signal produced by an associated indexing member and in which a clearly defined indexing signal is generated.

A spe'oic object of the invention is to provide a cathode-ray tube system operating on principles above outlined and in which spurious signals, which are due to cross-modulation of video and pilot carrier signals applied to the beam intensity control electrode oi a cathoderay tube, are avoided.

These and further objects of the invention will appear as the specification progresses.

In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects are achieved by employing a cathode-ray tube having disposed therein a beam intercepting structure comprising beam position indicating elements arranged in predetermined geometric relationship to other portions ot the beam intercepting structure. These beam position indicating elements, as above pointed out, may be in the form of spaced stripes chraractei-ized by values of secondary-emissive ratio or by spectral emission characteristics which diner from those characterizing other regions of the beam intercepting structure when electrons of the cathode-ray beam impinge thereon. By applying to the beam intensity control system of the cathode-ray tube botha color Video signal, having color information occurring at the repetition rate at which successive color triplets of the beam interceptingv structure are scanned, and a pilot carrier wave, the cathode-ray beam is simultaneously varied in intensity by the two signals. As the beam scans the indexing stripes, it will in. turn produce secondary electrons which generate, in the output circuit of the tube, two component signals, one of which is proportional to the product of the video signal intensity variations of the beam and the rate of scanning of the indexing stripes, and the other of which is proportional to the pilot carrier signal intensity variations of the beam and the rate of scanning of the indexing stripes. Since the latter component signal may be made to have a frequency spectrum widely separated from the frequency spectrum of the iirst component signal by an appropriate selection of the frequency of the pilot carrier signal, the two coniponents may be readily separated in the output collector' system of the cathode-ray tube. Furthermore, since the sidebands of the said latter component are determined by the algebraic sum of the pilot carrier frequency and the rate of scanning of the index stripes, it wiil be apparent that any departures of the scanning velocity of the beam or non-uniformities in the positioning and distribution of the index stripes will be relected as a change in the frequency of the sidebands, and accordingly the latter component or a sideband thereof may be utilized as an indexing signal. As pointed out above, in some instances non-linearities of the beam-current versus control-voltage characteristic of the beam generating elements of the tube may cause an interaction or cross-modulation of the two signals applied to the beam control system of the cathode-ray tube and thereby produce undesired signals which additionally vary the intensity of the beam. These spurious variations of the intensity of the beam will produce spurious signals in the output indexing circuit of the tube, either directly because they represent sum and diierence frequencies which are the same as the sum and difference frequencies produced by the heterodyne action of the pilot carrier and the index stripes, or indirectly because they represent harmonics of difference frequencies, etc., which produce a heterodyne action with the index stripes.

In accordance with the invention, a signal having a central frequency equal to the frequency of the pilot carrier and having sidebands similar to those produced by the cross-modulation action of the video and pilot carrier signals, is applied to the beam control system of the cathode-ray tube in such phase as to cancel the generated cross-modulation products. More particularly, and in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an auxiliary premodulation system to which the video signal and pilot carrier are applied. The premodulation system is adjusted to exhibit a modulation characteristic similar to the non-linear characteristic of the cathode-ray tube so as to generate a modulation signal similar to the cross-modulation signal generated in the cathode-ray tube. The signal so generated is applied to the cathoderay tube in such a sense as to produce the desired cancellation. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided means to derive the cross-modulation products from the cathode-ray tube and to reapply the same to the tube in a sense cancelling the initially generatedv cross-modulation products.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the appended drawings forming part of the specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram, partly schematic, illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram, partly schematic, illustrating another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, partly cut away, showing a portion of one form of beam intercepting structure for a cathode-ray tube which may be used in the system of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the cathode-ray tube system shown therein comprises a cathode-ray tube I containing, within an evacuated envelope I2, a conventionally constructed beam generating and accelerating electrode system comprising a cathode I4, a control electrode I6 for varying the intensity of the beam, a focusing electrode I8, and a beam accelerating electrode 20 which may consist of a conductive coating on the inner wall of the envelope and which terminates at a point spaced from the end face 22 of the tube in conformance with well-established practice. Suitable heating means (not shown) are provided for maintaining the cathode I4 at its operating temperature. The electrode system so dened is energized from a suitable source of potential shown as a battery 24 having its negative pole connected to ground and its positive pole connected to the electrode I8, and from a battery 26 having its negative pole connected to the positive pole of the battery 24 and its positive pole connected to the accelerating electrode 2B. In practice the battery 24 has a potential of the order of 1 to 3 kilovolts whereas the battery 26 has a potential of the order of to 20 kilovolts. The operating potential of the control electrode lli may be established by a' D.C.restorer connected to the electrode I6 and consisting of a diode 25 appropriately vpoled and shunting a grid resistor 21. The cathode I4 is provided with a D.C. return consisting of a resistor 29.

A deection yoke 28 coupled to horizontal and vertical deiiection circuits of conventional design (not shown) is provided for deilecting the generated electron beam across the face plate 22 of the cathode-ray tube to form a raster thereon.

'The end face plate 22 of the tube is provided with a beam intercepting structure 30, one suitable form of which is shown in detail in Figure 3. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, the structure 33 is formed directly on the face plate 22. However, the structure 30 may alternatively be formed on a suitable light transparent base which is independent of the face plate 22 and may be spaced therefrom. In the arrangement shown, the end face 22, which in practice consists of glass having preferably substantially uniform transmission characteristics for the various colors in the visible spectrum, is provided with a plurality of groups of elongated parallelly arranged stripes 32, 34 and 36, of phosphor material which, upon impingement by the cathode-ray beam, uoresce to produce light of three different primary colors. For example, the stripe 32 may consist of a phosphor which produces red light, the stripe 34 may consist of a phosphor which produces green light, and the stripe 33 may consist of a phosphor which produces blue light. Each of the groups of stripes may be termed a color triplet and, as will be noted, the sequence of the stripes is repeated in consecutive order over the area of the structure 3l). Suitable materials constituting the phosphor stripes 32, 34 and 36 are well known to those skilled in the art as well as the method of applying the same to the face plate 22, and further details concerning the same are believed to be unnecessary.

In the arrangement specifically shown, the indexing signal is produced by utilizing indexing stripes of a given secondary-emissive ratio differing from the secondary-emissive ratio of the remainder of the beam intercepting structure, and for this purpose the structure 30 further comprises a thin, electron-permeable conducting layer 38 of low secondary-emissivity. The layer 38 is arranged on the phosphor stripes 32, 34 and 3B and preferably further constitutes a mirror` for reflecting light generated at the phosphor stripes. In practice the layer 38 is a light reiiecting aluminum coating which is formed in well known manner. Other metals capable of forming a coating in the manner similar to aluminum, and having a secondary-emissive ratio detectably different from that of the material of the indexing member, may also be used. Such other metals are, for example, magnesium or beryllium.

Arranged on the coating 38 over consecutive green stripes 34 are indexing stripes 40 consisting of a material having a secondary-emissive ratio detectably diierent from that of the ma.- teral of coating 38. The stripes 40, usually of gold, may consist of other high atomic number metals such of platinum or tungsten or of an oxide such as magnesium oxide, as previously pointed out.

The beam intercepting structure so constituted is connected to the positive pole of the battery 26 by means of a suitable lead attached to the aluminum coating 38.

Interposed between the end of the accelerating anode 2u and the beam intercepting structure 22 is an output collector electrode d2 consisting of :a fring shaped coatngfforexamplefofigraphite or of"silver,`onfthe wall-.ofthe envelope. Electrode 42 is energized through a load resistorfM from a suitable source 46,.-shown asa battery. The source 4B may `have apotential-of Vthe order of 3 kilovolts.

The cathode-ray beam in its horizontal travel across the beam intercepting structure ,-38fimpinges successivelywon the coating and the indexing stripeslw. Whenthe beam isvaried Vin intensity by a `:pilotcarriersignal applied to-the intensitycontrol system of` the tube :i8 inamanner later to be rmore fully pointed out, the scanning beam will generate-across the `load resistor 44 an indexing signalmade up of, a'carrier component at the Yfrequency-of .the pilot .carrierv signal and sideband components representing-the sum and diiierence frequencies-of thevpilot carrier and the rateat whichthe index r'stripes are scanned by the cathode-ray beam.

In a typical case, the intensity of the beam `may be varied at .a pilot carrier -frequency Iof 38.5 mc./sec. and scanning of -theindexstripes 451 may occur at the ratecf approximately -7 million kper second vas determined by the horizontal scanning rate and the number of index stripes El im.- pinged per scanning period. Then a modulated carrier signal at 38.5 rnc/sec. and having sidebands at approximately 31.5 and 45.5 rnc/sec. Will be produced. Changes in the -rate of scanning of the index stripes lilldue to non-linearities of the beam deflection and/or non-uniormities of the spacing of the indexstripes will produce corresponding changes in the frequencies of the sidebands. Therefore, the signal produced by the pilot carrier, or a sideband of that signal, be used as an indexing signal indicative of the position of the beamen the surface of the beam interceptive stwcture'i. In the arrangement specifically shown in Figure l, the lower side band, i. e., the sideband at approximately 31.5 mc./sec., is utilized as the indexing signal and to this end the signal generated across loadvresistor 44 is supplied through a sidebandampliier and amplitudelimiter 48 toa utilisation circuit therefor consisting of a mixe-r d8. Amplifier '4d isof conventional design and is characterized by a band-pass response which transmits andiamplifies only signals having a frequency the range of the above rnoted lower sideband. The ampli-fier may embody conventional amplitude limiting means by which any amplitude modulation appearing on the signal may be removed and may be adapted to provide the desired amplication Without phase distortion of the signals.

For the reproduction of a color image on the face plate oi the cathode-ray tube, there are provided color signal input terminals l), 52 and 54 which are supplied from a television yreceiver with separate 'signals indica-tive of :the red, green and blue components of the televised scene,` respectively. The system then operates to elfectively convert these three color signals into a Wave having the .color information arranged in time reference sequence so that the red informawave Withsequentially occurring color components may be effected `by a sampling procedure which effectively connects each oftheinput Yterminalsflinnsequence with aoommon. output channelforunaybe eiected-by.-means --of ra modulation system suitablyenergized by the-respective color signals` and .byappropria-telyA phase related `modulation signals. -In the arrangement-specifically shown, the 'desired `conversion vis elected by means of sine Wavemodulators, .'56, 58 and-Guin conjunction with `an adder 52. Modulators Y55, 53 and 68 may beef conventional form and may each consist, for example, of a dual grid thermionic tube to one gridof fwhich-is appliedthe colorsignal `from the vrespective terminals 5U, 52 and54, and to the other gridof which is applied a carrierv signal. The oarriergsignal Yis 'derived from a 4pilot carrier oscillator through a v.phase shiftert, -the'latter being-adapted-to produce, by means of-suitable phase shiftinglnetworks, three modulation voltages iappropriately' phase displaced. 'In the arrangement specically de scribed, wherein the phosphor stripes 32, 34and 36 (see Figure 3) vare vuniformly distributed throughout the `Width or' each color triplet, the modulation voltages Yfrom Ythe phase shifterf beara phase relationship asshown.

The'individualwaves produced at the outputs of the modulators lwill .be sine waves, each amplitude modulated by the color Vsignal applied to the respective modulator and each having a phase relationshipv determined by the `.particular modulation .signal applied. The three modulators are coupled with theirv outputs .in common whereby the three lwavesfare combined to produce a resultant wave having a frequency equal to that of the carrier signal supplied by oscillator 64 and having amplitude and phase variations proportional -to the vamplitudes of the color signals. A band-.pass lter I0 havingA a central frequency as determined by the frequency of the modulatingvsignals applied to thermodulators may be arranged in .theircommon `output to suppress undesirable modulation components.

They pilot lcarrier oscillator 64 yfurther serves to Vprovidea carrier signal for varying the intensity-of the cathode-ray-beam in accordance with the principles set forth in the abovereferred to copendingapplication of-E. M. Creamer et al. Accordingly, the oscillator operates at a frequency outside thewfrequency spectrum'of the video color Wave appliedv to thecontrol electrode I6 of the cathode-ray tube, i. e., at a-frequency of 38.5 mc./sec. as above speoiflcallyil- -lustrated The resultant wave at vthe common output circuit of modulators 58, 58 and 68 is applied yto the mixer 48, together with vthe indexingfsignal `derived from the'amplifer and limiter vllt, to

produce a heterodyne difference signal having amplitudeand phase variations as `determined by theamplitudes of -the colorwsignals at the terminals 50,52 and V54 andvhaving further phase (and/or frequency) variations as determined 'by the variations in the rate of scanning of the Eachl of the colorsignals' supplied to'the'f input terminals of modulatorsv 56,' 58'and 60 will, in general,v includeva reference level component definitive of brightness. While-eachl modulator may be constructed so as-to transmit this reference level component to its output, in practice this is generally not done; Preferably, the three color signals are combinedfin proper proportions inan adder $2 to yield a signalrepresentative of the over-all brightness of the scene to be reproduced and this signal isrin turn-supplied to an adder SSAWhere it is combined with thecomposite color signalproduced in the output of mixer 48.

The signal at theoutput of-theadder 68 lthus comprises areference level component establishing the brightness information of the image to be reproduced and a modulated component establishing the chromaticity of theimage; This signal is applied to'the `control electrode I6 of the cathode-ray tube and,- in the. absencefof'secondary influences, consecutive portions thereof will occur inexact time sequence withithe-scanning of theelectron beam overconsecutive phosphor stripesof the lbeam'ntercepting structure.

However, aspointedI out above; in'l someinstances the beam generating and modulating system of thecathode-ray tube may soseriously depart from linearity in its beam-current versus control-voltage characteristic that cross-modulation may take place-between the pilot carrier and'thefcolor video signals applied to they control elements of the-V tube. The' spurious signals so produced mayhave frequencies s Within' theA pass'- band of the sideband'amplier il'andfthus contarninatev the indexing signal. More particularly, in asystem utilizing avpilot-carrier-,frequency of 38.5 nic/sec. and avideocolorwavefat'l rnc/sec.; non-linearities off the cathode-'ray tube beam generating assembly may produce heterodyne signals, one of which, yhaving a` frequency of 31.5 mc./sec., may vary the. intensity of the cathode-raybeam at the `same frequency as that ofthe lower sideband which is used as. an indeXing-signal and Whichfis generated-,by the beating of the intensity modulated beam at 38.5 mc./sec. with the indexing; stripes.. The spurious intensity variation of the beam-Will .manifest itself as aspurioussignal in the `indexing/circuit and,y since this spurious signal has the same vfrequency as the desired index signal, it Willpass through the sidebandamplier. andlirniter 46 and the mixer. 4t',` thereby causingundesirable phase ymodulation ofthe video signal yat'theoutp u-t ofmixer wandfconsequent degradation of the-reproduced image.

In accordance with the embodiment` of the invention shown inlligure` 1, the generation-of this spurious signal is obviatedfby applying,- to the beam intensity control` elements of the cathode-ray tube, a'modulated `pilot .carrier wave having sidebands similar toandfinfphase oppositiorr to.. those normally. generatedby the tube elements.V For this. purpose4 the arrangement shown Ain ,Figure 1 comprises avideo signal' inverter-12 vfor supplying desired amounts of the video signal yin properfphase, anda premodulator 'lllA forA applying compensating modulated pilot carrier components, to the cathode-ray tube. The inverter 12% may comprise apentode type thermionic tube; the control grid of.. whichv is coupled throughfan'isolatingycapacitor to the 'outp utof adden: Byfmeansrof avariablecathode resistor 'I6 the amplification of the inverter: |2-

mayfbeadiustably'controlledso that aivideo color signal of the desiredfamplitudemay be derived from the.` anode. circuit ofthe:tube

In one convenientfform, the preinodulator 14 may comprise an electron tubewopera-tingfwith a non-linearA characteristic matching the nonlinear characteristic of the beamintensity varying system of the-cathode-ray tube. More particularly, and Pin-the specific'arrangement shown,

the premodulator 'M may comprise -aipentode type thermionic /tub-efl-'ifhaving a cathodereturned to ground potentiall through' an adjustable resistor '13, a `control grid-having a DJ-C. return constituted s byfseries f connected resistors 8d and 82, a, screen: grid c'onnectedto a suitable source of positive potential througha Variable resistor 86', andan anodeconnectedto the positive potential source through an inductancef-resistance net- Worin` SS, which, together with the distributed capacitance of the tube, forms a damped circuit resonant at the frequency of the :pilot'carrier and its sidebands.-

The video signalfromthe inverter l2, anda pilot carrier s-ignal derivedfrom'f theoscillator 54' through an isolationV amplifier: i ,are-simultaneously applied to the-control gridfof'thetube TI, and the yresultant modulated'` signal appear-- ingat the anode of. tubei'H4 is appl-ied''through an adjustable resistorV 33y to thefcatlfxode4 i fi-fofv the cathode-ray tube; Since? the# modulated:r pilot signal applied to thee-cathode Mbbyl the f premodulator Igll-l varies` the intensity; ofC thefb'eam in opposition to the spuriousintensityivariations produced by nen-linearitiesfcf thefcathode-ray tube characteristic, the: spurious -beamsintensit'y variations are 'effectively-:cancelled and Itliefbearifi impinging on the index stripesfiofithebeam intercepting structure `vvillbey free of thefspurious components produced by ther non-linearity:-

The characteristics ofl the-x premodulator 14 may be matched to those of thefcathode-rayi tube by` appropriate.- adjustment oft its-operating parameters, More4 particularly; by means of the control 'myV the nen-linearity; characteristic of y the tube- 'I'l--maylbe'adjustedto duplicateithe nonlinearity characteristic of the"cathoderay tube forgiven values ofthe appliedpilot-carrieri By means of the screen: potential' controlv 81h the anode-current cut-off f value off` the-'tube is;v adjusted for av given Y value of f the staticgridibas as established-by the. resistor 82, a bias-fsupply resistor 83i inseri'es withresistor 8` 2fand1a bias potential applied f to.` the freev end f of resistor' 8-3. The operatingfbiasvof the tube -isffurther established by adiode"85shuntingthe-resistor 80; By means ofA the :variable `resistor 88 Whichforms anY R.C. networkv With:the distributed? capacitanceof ,the cathode i li ofthev cathode-raytube, the-modulation products* at* the output of' tube; l?, may be brought intophaseoppositiorricoincidence with the cross-modulation productsfgenerated in tubei il. The absoluteilefvelY :of them'odulation .productsfgeneratedioyftheztubei .Il 7 fis' 'con'- trollaible by: varying; theramplication?.offthe in'- verter 721v bymeans 'f of the variable catho'defresistor'l.

From-the't foregoing; it Will be" seentliatthe intensity of' the cathoide-ray'tube' b'eamis varied simultaneously by the video-Icolor 'signalan'dby a pilot carrier; in :conformance with theprinciples set #forth in :thefaforementionedl'copendingiapplication offE: M; GreameiJ; etal2 Intl-reispeci'c arrangement shown; this'simultaneousfyariation: ofk the beamf intensity" is effected-l by the' video color signal which is'fappledtithecontrol 11 electrode I6 and by the pilot carrier from the source 64 which is applied to the cathode I4 through the premodulator 14. Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, the crossmodulation products generated in the tube I0, because of non-linear interaction of the two signals applied to the beam intensity controlling elements, is cancelled by the inverted modulation products generated by the premodulator 'I4 and applied to the cathode I4.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the invention in which modulation products are applied to the cathode-ray tube in opposition to those generated by the tube to thereby obviate the generation of spurious signals in the indexing control circuit. Certain components of the system shown in Figure 2 are similar to those found in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 and accordingly similar components have been indicated by the same reference numerals. The system shown in Figure 2 comprises a cathode-ray tube IB having a cathode I4, a control electrode I 6, a focusing anode I8, an accelerating electrode 20, a 'beam intercepting structure 22, and a secondary-emission collector electrode 42 arranged between the structure 22 and the electrode 20. Operating potentials for the tube are supplied by sources 2li, 26 and 4.6, the source 24 being connected to the electrode i3 through a load resistor 90 for a purpose later to be more fully discussed.

The video signal is applied to the control electrode I6 in the same manner as described in -connection with Figure 1. More particularly, there are provided three sine wave modulators 56, 58 and 60 having their inputs individually coupled to three color signal terminals 50, 52 and 54, each of the modulators being excited by individual modulating voltages appropriately phase displaced and derived `from a pilot carrier oscillator 64 through a phase shifter 66.

The combined output signal from the modulators 56, 58 and 60, is applied through a band-pass lter 'Ill to a mixer 4B, to which is also applied a lower sideband signal which serves as an in- 1 dex signal and is derived from the indexing stripes of the cathode-ray tube through the amplifier and limiter 46. Similarly, as in the case of the system of Figure 1, the brightness components of the video ycolor signals are com'bined by an adder 62 and the resultant over-all brightness component is combined with the heterodyne output of the mixer 48 by means of an order 68.

The video color signal derived from the adder 53, and a pilot carrier signal derived from the oscillator 64 through an isolation amplifier 88, are applied together to the control electrode I6 of the cathode-ray tube i0. The two signals so applied to control electrode I6 simultaneously vary the intensity of the electron beam so that as the beam scans the beam intercepting structure 22, it will appropriately excite the phosphor stripes of the consecutive color triplets of the screen and will also excite the indexing stripes of the screen, producing, in the latter instance, a modulated wave having a central frequency at the frequency of the pilot carrier and sdebands at the sum and difference frequencies determined by the pilot carrier frequency and the rate of scanning of the index stripes. As above indicated, the difference frequency or lower sideband component is utilized as an indexing signal and this component of the modulation products produced by scanning the index stripes is separated out by the sidebild amplifier and limiter 46.

In order to avoid spurious variations of the intensity of the beam and thus the creation ci spurious signals in the output index circuit of the cathode-ray tube due to cross-modulation of the video signal and the pilot carrier signal applied to the control electrode It, the arrangement shown in Figure 2 provides a feedback system which derives, from the electrode system of the cathode-ray tube, a signal containing the undesired cross-modulation products and applies the so derived signal to the tube elements in proper cancelling phase. More particularly, by means of the load impedance 9D, the focusing electrode I8 is made to operate as an anode of a triode system further constituted by the control electrode i5 and the cathode I4. The portions of the electron beam, which normally impinge on the electrode I8, will develop, across load resistor Si), a complex voltage, one component of which is representative of the multiplication products due to the cross-modulation of the video and pilot carrier signals. These multiplication products are supplied to the grid of an amplifierl tube 92 through a band-pass filter 94 and reapplied across a cathode resistor 96 to the cathode I4 in a sense cancelling the originally generated cross-modulation.. The amount of the signal so fed-back to the cathode may be controlled by varying the amplication of the tube 92, for example by means of an adjustable resistor S8 provided in the cathode circuit of tube 92. The phase of the reapplied signal may be adjusted by means of a variable resistor IUE! arranged between the anode of tube 92 and the cathode I4 and forming, with the distributed capacity of the cathode I4, an rt.-C. phase shifting network.

While I have described my invention by means of specic examples and in specific embodiments, I do not wish to be limited thereto for obvious modications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A cathode-ray tube system comprising, a cathode-ray tube having a source of an electron beam, control means to vary the intensity of the beam, a beam intercepting structure comprising rst portions adapted to produce a iirst given response upon impingement by said beam, said structure having second portions thereof spaced apart and adapted to produce a second given response when said beam impinges thereon, and means to produce an output signal indicative of intensity variations of said beam and of said second given response, means to periodically delect said beam across said beam'intercepting structure to thereby scan said beam over said first and second portions, means to apply to said control means first and second signals simultaneously varying the intensity of said beam, said control means having a non-linear beam-current versus control-voltage characteristic normally producing non-linear interaction of the intensity variations of said beam produced by said rst and second signals and thereby normally producing in said output signal means a wave having components representing cross-modulation products of said rst and second signals, and means to obviate said cross-modulation products comprising means to apply to said control means modulation products of said first and second signals in phase opposition to the phase ofthe said cross-modulation products normally produced by the said non-linear characteristics of said control means.

21 A cathode-ray tubesystema's claimed in claim 1 wherein said ii'rst signal is a control quantity for producing1 variations of said iirst given response and has a frequency spectrum of a given maximum extent and said second signal is a control quantity for producingy variations of said second given response and has a frequency remote from the frequency spectrum of said rst signal.

3. A cathode-ray tube system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rst signal has a frequency Valuefapproximating the-rate of impingement ot" said beam on said second portions and said'second signal has a frequency'remote'iroin the frequency of said rst signal.

4. A cathode-ray tube-system as claimed in claim l wherein said means-to obviate said crossmodulation products comprises a premodulator; means to apply said iirst and second signals to said premodulator, and means to apply modulation products of said signals from said premodulatorto said control means in phase opposition to the phase of the cross-modulationproducts produced by the said non-linear characteristics of said control means.

5. A cathode-ray tube system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means to` obviate said crossmodulation; productscomprises means to derive from said beam a compensation signal proportional to said cross-'modulation products and means to apply said compensation signal to said control means in phase opposition to the phase of the cross-modulation products produced by the said non-linear characteristic ofv said control means.

6. A cathode-ray tube system for producing a color television image,comprising. a cathode-ray tube having a source of an electron beam, control means to vary the intensity of the beam, a beam intercepting structure comprising consecutively arranged portions, each'comprising a plurality of stripesI of uorescent material, each' of said stripesgproducing light of a different color'upon impingement by said beam, said structure having second portions thereof spaced apart and cornprising a material having a given response characteristic when said beam impinges thereon, means to produce an output signal indicative of intensity variations of said beam and of the said given response characteristic, means to periodically deiiect said beam across said beam intercepting structure to thereby scan said beam over said rirst and second portions, means to apply to said control means first and second signals simultaneously varying the intensity of said beam, said rst signal comprising a video color wave having a frequency spectrum of a given maximum extent and including a component having a frequency within said spectrum and approximating the rate of scanning said second portions and said second signal comprising a pilot carrier wave having a frequency remote from said frequency spectrum, said control means having a non-linear beam-current versus control-voltage characteristie normally producing non-linear interaction of the intensity variations of said beam produced by said first and second signals and thereby normally producing in said output signal means a wave having components representing crossmodulation products of said iirst and second signals, and means to obviate said cross-modulation products comprising means to apply to said control means modulation products of said first and second signals in a phase in opposition to the phase of the cross-modulation products nor- 14 mally produced by the said"- non-linearcharacteristio off said control means.

7. A cathode-ray tube system for producing a color television imageas claimed in claim 6 wherein said-means to obviate said cross-modulation products comprises a premodulator, means to apply said component and said pilot carrier signal to saidl premodulator and means to apply modulation products of said component and said pilot carrier signal from said premodulator t0 saidl control means in phase opposition to the phase of the'cross-modulation products produced 'cy the said non-linear characteristic of said control means.

8. A cathode-ray tube system for producing a color television image as claimed in claim 'I wherein said premodulator has a non-linear input-output characteristic matching the nonlinear characteristic of :raid control means.

9. A. cathode-ray tube system for producing a color television' image as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means to obviate said cross-modulation products comprises means to derive from said'beam a-compensation signal proportional to said cross-modulation products and means to apply said compensation signal to said control means in phaser opposition to the phase ofthe cross-modulation products produced'by the said non-linear characteristic of'said control means.

l). A cathode-ray tube system for producing a color television image, comprising a cathoderay tube having a source of an electron beam, control means to vary the intensity of the beam, a beam intercepting` structure comprising consecutively arranged' portions each comprising a plurality of' stripes of uorescent material each producing light offadifierent primary color upon impingement bysaidbeam, said structure having second portions thereof spaced apart and comprising aA materiali having' a given response characteristic whenvsaid'beam impinges thereon and' means to produce an output signal indicative of intensity variations off said beam and of the said giveny response characteristic, means to periodically deflect said beam across said beam intercepting structure to thereby successively scan said beam over the said i-lrst and second portions, said control means having a non-linear beam-current versus control-voltage characteristie normally producing non-linear interaction of the intensity variations of said beam when a plurality of signals are applied to said control means and thereby normally producing in said output signal means a wave having components representing cross-modulation products of the said signals applied to said control means, means to generate a pilot carrier wave of a given first frequency, means to produce a rst color video wave having a component at the frequency of said pilot carrier wave, means to combine said first color video wave and said output signal to produce a second color video wave having a component at a frequency approximating the rate oi scanning said second portions, means to invert the phase of said second color video wave, a piemodulation system having a non-linear characteristic matching the non-linear characteristic of said control means, means to apply said inverted color video wave and said pilot carrier to said premodulation system to thereby produce modulation products of said inverted wave and said pilot carrier wave, and means to couple said premodulation system to said control means to thereby apply said modulation products to said control means in a phase in opposition to the phase of the cross-modulation products normally produced by the said non-linear characteristic of said control means.

1l. A cathode-ray tube system for producing a color television image, comprising a cathoderay tube having electron beam generating means including an anode, control means to vary the intensity of the beam, a beam intercepting structure comprising consecutively arranged portions each comprising a plurality of stripes of fluorescent material each producing light of a different primary color upon impingement by said beam. said structure having second portions thereof spaced apart and comprising a material having a given response characteristic when said beam impinges thereon and means to produce an output signal indicative of intensity variations of said beam and of the said given response characteristic, means to periodically deflect said beam across said intercepting structure to thereby successively scan said beam over the said first and second portions, said control means having a nonlinear beam-current versus control-voltage characteristic normally producing non-linear interaction of the intensity variations of said beam when a plurality of signals are applied to said control means and thereby normally producing in said output signal means a wave having cornponents representing cross-modulation products of said signals applied to said control means, means to generate a pilot carrier wave of given lirst frequency, means to produce a rst color video wave having a component at the frequency of said pilot carrier Wave, means to combine said rst color video Wave and said output signal to produce a second color video wave having a ccmponent at a frequency approximating the rate of scanning said second portions, means to apply said second color video wave and said pilot carrier Wave to said control means, means to derive from said anode a compensating signal proport-ional to cross-modulation products of said second color video wave and said pilot carrier Wave, and means to apply said compensating signal to said control means in phase opposition to the phase of the cross-modulation products produced by the said non-linear characteristic of said control means.

12. A cathode-ray tube system comprising, a cathode ray tube having a source of an electron beam, control means to vary the intensity of the beam, a beam intercepting structure comprising first portions adapted to produce a rst given response upon impingement by said beam, said structure having second portions thereof spaced apart and adapted to produce a second given response when said beam impinges thereon, and means to produce an output signal indicative of intensity variations of said beam and of said second given response, means to periodically deflect said beam across said beam intercepting structure to thereby scan said beam over said rst and second portions, means to apply tc said control means rst and second signals simultaneously varying the intensity of said beam, said control means having a non-linear beamcurrent versus control-voltage characteristic normally producing non-linear interaction of the intensity variations of said beam produced by said first and second signals and thereby normally producing in said output signal means a wave having components representing cross-modulation products of said rst and second signals, and means to obviate said cross-modulation products comprising means to produce modulation products of said first and second signals, and means to combine in phase opposition the said generated modulation products and the said cross-modulation products normally produced by the said non-linear characteristic of said control means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,543,772 Goldmark Mar. 6, 1951 2,558,489 Kalfaiain June 26, 1951 2,587,074 Sziklai Feb. 26, 1952 

